The Kimmswick Apple Butter Festival set for this weekend will offer something for everyone, said Phil Stang, the city’s mayor.
The festivities will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and it will feature more than 400 vendors spread throughout the small Mississippi River town.
It’s free to attend the event, which also will feature live music, food and, of course, sales of the Kimmswick Historical Society’s famous apple butter.
Stang said Wings of Angels band will perform on Saturday, and the Harvest Drive band will perform on Sunday, both on the Elm Street stage.
“We have a plethora of stuff,” he said. “We have so many small businesses in Kimmswick, and (festivalgoers) can see a whole lot of small businesses in one place and can do their holiday shopping.”
Stang said about 100,000 people attended last year’s festival, which raised more than $80,000 for Kimmswick. Together, the Apple Butter Festival and Strawberry Festival, which is held in June, make up about 80 percent of the town’s budget, according to Kimmswick officials.
Stang said he believes this year’s Apple Butter Festival may generate $100,000 for the town.
“That would be outstanding,” he said.
Apple butter
Historical Society president Diane Nagy said the organization will have about 5,000 jars of Apple Butter for sale throughout the festival. Jars cost $6 each.
The Historical Society pays a company to make most of the apple butter sold at the event, but society members make one big pot of the sweet treat each day of the event. Festivalgoers are encouraged to stop by the Apple Butter Shed on Market Street to view the product being made and even stir the kettle a few times.
“We can’t wait,” Nagy said. “I’m excited for this year.”
The Historical Society will also sell an Apple Butter cookbook this year, Nagy said.
She said the group’s members submitted recipes for Apple Butter No-Bake Cheesecake, Apple Butter Glazed Pork Chops, Apple Butter Leather and more.
The cookbooks cost $10 each. They may be purchased at the Apple Butter Shed or at the Kimmswick Historical Society museum, 6000 Third Ave. The museum is open from 1-4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
“It is a recipe book on how to use the apple butter, instead of just putting it on a warm English muffin,” Nagy said. “There are some good recipes in there.”
Plenty of offerings
“The number of vendors and booths are full,” Stang said. “We have added some face painting and permanent jewelry artists. You will get exposed to the more than 20 local merchants that we have in town (plus the 400 vendors who will be on hand). There will be plenty of opportunities to purchase Christmas presents and anything else that appeals to you.”
The event also will include demonstrations by Turtle Ridge woodcarvers and Son of a Buck Blacksmithing on Third Street each day of the festival, he said.
“We have a blacksmith and expanded the chainsaw carving,” Stang said.
He said there will be plenty of public information booths with representatives from the Marine Corps, Elks Lodge 2372, Cub Scout Pack 557 and Jefferson County Library expected to be at the festival.
Stang also said representatives from the Jefferson County Public Works Department are scheduled to be at the event to share information about expanding a trail along the Mississippi River through Kimmswick.
“Eventually, we will link Festus with Arnold,” Stang said.
Food, beverages
Stang said attendees will have plenty of food and beverage options.
Not only will the town’s restaurants be open, but also approximately 40 food vendors will participate, he said
Numerous apple-themed food items will be sold, like caramel apples; apple bacon; apple spice jam and jellies; and apple bratwurst and pork steaks.
He also said vendors will sell Thai food, southern home cooking, Mexican, gyros and kabobs, ribeye sandwiches, Mexican street corn, barbecue, funnel cakes, caramel corn, corn dogs, nachos, old world style bread, manna bread topped with smoked brisket, beef and bacon, spiral potatoes, cakes, cupcakes, macaroons and ice cream.
“You will not leave here hungry,” Stang said.
A beer garden will be set up in Veterans Park.
Stang said beverage options range from hot specialty drinks, beer, wine, bourbon and apple margaritas to non-alcoholic options, such as coffee, hot chocolate, espresso and soft drinks.
Children’s activities
Stang said the event will include plenty of activities to keep children entertained.
“Our ship-themed playground will be open, and there will be plenty of vendors who have merchandise geared toward children,” he said.
Parking
Roads leading into Kimmswick will be closed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day of the festival. Limited handicap-accessible parking will be available at Windsor Elementary School on Sixth Street in Kimmswick.
Parking also will be available on fields along Hwy. K, weather permitting, and festivalgoers may park on the Windsor School District campus, 6208 Hwy. 61-67, in Imperial and ride a shuttle to and from town. It will cost $5 to park at the Windsor campus with the proceeds going to the district’s band program.
For more information, call City Hall at 636-464-7407 or visit gokimmswick.com or cityofkimmswick.org.
“We are really looking forward to it,” Stang said of the festival. “I want to extend my thanks to all of the volunteers who have devoted many hours of labor to make the Apple Butter Festivals over the last 40-plus years so successful. We have built upon what has been done in the past, and it just keeps getting better all of the time.”